A West Columbia-based construction and heavy equipment company is expanding its operations to Calhoun County.
Blanchard Machinery Company is planning to invest $46 million and create 30 new jobs at the Sandy Run Industrial Park.
The company plans to build a brand-new, 150,000-square-foot facility on about 60 acres in the 761-acre industrial park, which straddles the Lexington and Calhoun county lines.
Currently, the company employs about 150 at its Lexington County plant but has outgrown the facility. Ground will be broken on the new facility in 2026.
"This is something we are very excited about," Company President Boyd Blanchard told Calhoun County Council Monday after council unanimously agreed to give third and final reading to incentives for the company.
"We are a fourth-generation Caterpillar dealer. We are the exclusive caterpillar dealer for South Carolina," he said.
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Blanchard said the company is a "hub and spoke model for parts operation," with most of the operations centralized in the Midlands.
"As we look at what is happening here in the state of South Carolina and what is happening in the Midlands with some of these projects, our job is to really enable our customers to do the work that makes our communities a better place or stay a better place," Blanchard said. "We are investing for the future. We are investing for the growth and we are really excited to be here in Calhoun County. The location is wonderful."
"We look forward to being a good steward of Calhoun County as we are in all our footprint locations in the state of South Carolina," Blanchard said.
The expansion will allow the company to expand its footprint for parts, service, component rebuilds, complete machine rebuilds and provide additional support services for its other 14 branches across South Carolina.
Blanchard will relocate a portion of its operations to the new facility in Calhoun County, while some operations including corporate administration functions, machine sales, used parts and Blanchard Energy will remain at its West Columbia campus.
The types of jobs and pay range have not been finalized, according to Blanchard.
Blanchard owns the company with his brother Joseph Rozier Blanchard Jr., who serves as the executive vice president.
The company had previously been identified as Project Chateau. A company’s identify remains anonymous until third and final reading is given.
The incentives provided by the county include the fee-in-lieu of taxes, the inclusion of the project in a multi-county business park with Lexington County and special source revenue credits.
The multicounty industrial park is not a physical park.
"This is a huge announcement for Calhoun County," Calhoun County Administrator John McLauchlin said. "It is a great project for the county."
"Along with the investment, what makes this special is that they generate roughly $30 million of sales tax each year," McLauchlin continued. "With their vehicle tax, they are talking about bringing over roughly $700,000 a year in vehicles. I appreciate them choosing Calhoun County."
"You could have gone anywhere and we know that," McLauchlin said. "We certainly thank you for choosing Calhoun County."
McLauchlin also thanked the Mixon family for helping with the transaction. The Mixons own the Sandy Run Industrial Park.
Council members thanked the company for choosing the county to locate.
"This is the kind of stuff that is going to make us great," Council Chairman James Haigler said. "It will keep the citizens' taxes down and it is going to help us especially bringing those jobs. We really appreciate that also."
"Welcome to Calhoun County," Councilman Richard Carson said. "Glad to have you. Thank you."
"Really looking forward to this journey," Councilman Cecil Thornton said.
The announcement received statewide praise.
“Once again, this announcement shows that South Carolina is the perfect location for businesses to thrive," S.C. Governor Henry McMaster said. "We are proud that a homegrown company such as Blanchard continues to grow in the great state of South Carolina, and we look forward to seeing how their expansion will support businesses across the state.”
“South Carolina’s robust logistics network continues to grow, allowing businesses to transport their products efficiently throughout our state and around the world. Congratulations to our long-standing partner, Blanchard, on their new facility," S.C. Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said.
As South Carolina’s Caterpillar construction and power equipment dealer, family-owned Blanchard Machinery has been supplying equipment sales, rental, parts, service, and customer training since 1982, according to the company website.
Blanchard Machinery Company began in 1952 when Joseph L. Rozier moved his LeTourneau dealership from the Midwest to bring the Caterpillar legacy to Orlando, Florida, based on the area's solid industrial growth.
Rozier remained active in the company until he passed away in the 1970s, when his son-in-law, G. Robert Blanchard, took charge of operations.
Robert stayed active with the dealership until 1996, when he appointed his son, Joe Blanchard, the new company president.
When Joe first began overseeing the operation, the company consisted of two divisions — Power Systems and Heavy Construction. Over the years, the company has grown into six separate divisions, handling various Cat and non-Cat product lines.
With Joe Blanchard’s passing in 2022, his sons continued their father’s stewardship of Blanchard Machinery as the fourth generation of leadership.
In addition to Blanchard Machinery, the five other divisions include: Blanchard Energy; Blanchard Rental Services, Blanchard Compact Equipment, Blanchard RIG360 Truck Centers and Ironmart.
The company has 15 locations in the state and employs about 750. It is the first location in Calhoun County.
